Pantry Baked Penne a #LaRomanella

Having pasta, canned peppers, jarred tomato sauce, and a vat o’ grated parmesan cheese on hand means you can whip up a dish any time, especially when you’ve run out of everything else.

I accepted a cool assignment to go shopping at Smart and Final, buy some non-perishable items from the store label’s line, and make a dish with them.  The La Romanella product line includes pasta, sauces, and other traditional Italian foodstuffs.  Here is a Google+ slideshow of my #LaRomanella shopping trip, which I did while waiting for Stewart to undergo a “procedure” at the medical center, making this excursion completely convenient.  Side note:  the photo uploading at Google+ is very easy and reminds me of the now-defunct Whrrl, which I miss ever so much.  Anyway, Smart and Final!  Who knew?

I decided to make a snazzed up version of my mother’s baked ziti.  Since one cannot easily find ziti in Southern California, I use penne instead.  Having pasta, canned peppers, jarred tomato sauce, and a vat o’ grated parmesan cheese on hand means you can whip up a dish any time, especially when you’ve run out of everything else.  But in my family a meal is not really a meal unless there is some sort of meat involved, so I pulled some frozen chicken breasts out of the freezer in the morning.  Obviously you’ll need fresh mozzarella, or use the rest of that giant bag of mozzarella you got from Costco and you can’t stand to make one more homemade pizza so what the heck else are you going to do with it?

Another side note about the peppers.  I don’t often cook with red peppers but when I saw the can on the shelf I decided to try them because a) making your own roasted red peppers is a pain in the rear and b) my friend Lisa used to love love love roasted red peppers.  I should call this dish Lisa La Romanella Red Pepper Baked Penne.  With chicken.  With the leftover peppers I whipped up a delicious soup that Stewart and I consumed in one sitting.  I’ll share that recipe another time.

I actually set aside time to perfect this dish and I experimented with different amounts of ingredients, imagining myself as a test kitchen expert, tasting as I went along and taking photos and notes and everything.  It was great fun.  The best part is that 3 out of 4 Prince family members love it.  Kyle, who hates all food that doesn’t come straight from 7-Eleven, did eat the chicken (which I named “cheesy chicken” because that made it sound like it came from 7-Eleven).  But Brady actually shouted with joy when he saw it.  “Pasta!”  And he ate four bowls.  Four (4).  I was astounded.  He didn’t like the peppers but they are easy enough to omit from the dish or pick out of your child’s serving.  And then of course Stewart thought the whole thing was delicious and ate half the pan all by himself.

I would say this one is a win.  It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake.  Add some warm Italian bread and a side salad and poof!  Time to eat.  I also purchased La Romanella olives as an appetizer for Stewart, who pretty much ate the whole jar in one mouthful.  He really likes olives.

Pantry Baked Penne a La Romanella

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c diced onion

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 La Romanella fire roasted whole red peppers

2 c La Romanella tomato basil pasta sauce

3/4 c La Romanella grated parmesan cheese

2 c mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add onions and garlic and saute until onions soften.

Add chicken breasts.  Lightly brown on both sides, then turn heat to low and cover.  Simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions and set aside.

Remove chicken from heat and cut into one inch cubes.  Toss in a bowl with peppers.

Add onions and garlic from skillet, chicken, diced peppers, parmesan cheese, and 1-3/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese to a large bowl and toss.  Add pasta and stir until all ingredients are combined.

Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch baking pan and bake at 375 degrees F fo 20 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top and bake for 5 more minutes.  Serve with parmesan to garnish and extra sauce on the side.

If you are so moved to purchase La Romanella items from Smart & Final, you can go to www.smartandfinal.com/LaRomanella2012 enter the code on the receipt from your purchase and be entered to win some of these amazing prizes: First Prize: a weekend trip to one of the most luxurious Italian inspired resorts in Las Vegas, (8) $100 SmartCash cards (2 per week given away) and (8) La Romanella Gift Baskets worth over $50 (2 per week given away)

Plus, if you go to La Romanella’s site you can vote for your favorite La Romanella blogger recipe.  No pressure!

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for#collectivebias #CBias.  All opinions are my own, except “This is delicious!” which is my husband’s, and “More, please!” which is my 4 year-old’s.